After much infighting, supporters are now faced with a momentous decision on whether to unite under one bannerBury is a town divided. Factions are heading for a big decision on whether to merge to create one harmonious club after years of bickering over the future of football in the town. From the outside marrying a thriving phoenix club and the ground which was home to Bury FC would seem like the perfect romantic ending, but with views entrenched the process has become fraught. The final decision will have major ramifications in the town and could change fan ownership forever.Two groups will vote on the merger: Shakers Community Society (SCS), who founded and look after the long-term sustainability of the fan-owned...
The concentration of wealth and attention on a tiny number of globalised superclubs is leading to moments of remarkable drama and quality – but at a terrible priceA recent Set-Piece Menu podcast eloquently made the case for fandom as a broad church. When the Premier League is marketed so aggressively all over the world, when overseas television rights bring it so much revenue, when players and managers and owners are often foreign, they argued – quite reasonably – who is to deny the travelling supporter from Baltimore or Bangalore their seat in the stadium, the right to call themselves a fan? All of that made sense.On an intellectual level I agreed with it. It fitted my general liberal, globalised worldview....
Demise is another warning that huge social value of clubs cannot beat the cold, hard edges of a free marketA good day to bury Bury. The swell of public sympathy at Bury FC’s expulsion from the English Football League was tangible on Wednesday morning. And yet, as ever with Big Football, the wheels will continue to grind on.Thursday will bring the Champions League draw, with further details of how Europe’s club elite plan to divvy up the season’s £2bn revenue. Friday promises more news on a potential mega‑move for the house of Neymar, with the proposed £135m transfer to Barcelona playing itself out up to deadline day. Beyond that, the Premier League fixture list will continue to fill the skies...
Bury’s opening game of the season has been suspended while the EFL tries to find out if the club has enough money for the whole campaignFor supporters of clubs in crisis who have repeatedly accused the English Football League of weak governance in recent years, it was striking to see the league issue an ultimatum on Monday and finally, determinedly, stick to it. Bury, in League One, were subjected to a last-resort measure, of having Saturday’s opening fixture suspended, on the grounds that the owner, Steve Dale, has not provided the required information to show how the stricken club will be funded.Dale hit back with a characteristically beefy, pugnacious statement on Tuesday, arguing the EFL was “ignoring the facts”, he...